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Senate’s new leading lady?

Hill reacts to Judd news

Ashley Judd at 2012 Democratic convention

The Hollywood movie star and eighth-generation Kentuckian is seriously exploring a 2014 run for the Senate to take on the powerful Republican leader, four people familiar with the matter tell POLITICO. In recent weeks, Judd has spoken with Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) about the possibility of a run, has discussed a potential bid with a Democratic pollster and has begun to conduct opposition research on herself to see where she’s most vulnerable in the Bluegrass State, sources say.

Whether Judd jumps into the race remains far from certain. She’s reportedly also weighing whether to wait until 2016 to instead take on freshman Sen. Rand Paul, sources say.

But if Judd does become a candidate, she would be the biggest celebrity to run for the Senate since Al Franken’s successful 2008 bid for the Minnesota seat. And her entrance would add a level of star power to a race that was already poised to be the highest-profile in the country with the Senate Republican leader up for a sixth term in 2014.

“She is doing all the things that a serious candidate exploring a race should do,” Rep. John Yarmuth (D-Ky.) told POLITICO after speaking with her. “I think there are a lot of people, and I was one of them, who wanted to let her know that her candidacy would be an exciting prospect for us. That’s what I wanted her to know. A lot of the labor unions, they were telling me that too.”

A Judd spokeswoman declined to comment beyond an earlier statement when the actress said she was “very honored” by the consideration, but didn’t shut the door on a run.

Democrats privately acknowledge that recruiting isn’t easy against McConnell, as the state’s strongest Democrats may instead run for governor in 2015 rather than face the GOP leader’s machine in a bare-knuckle Senate bid.

That’s why some Democrats are calling on Judd to run — she could raise a ton of cash, energize the base and would have significant name recognition in the state. Yet other Democrats are nervous about her prospective candidacy: She’d be pegged as a liberal, out of touch with conservative Kentucky; she has no experience running for office; and she now lives outside her home state.

In addition to Judd, a wide range of Democratic names have been floated, such as Kentucky Secretary of State Alison Lundergan Grimes and Obama fundraiser Matthew Barzun, both of whom are noncommittal about the race.

McConnell’s campaign is already talking about how it’s prepared to tear apart any Democrat who joins the fray.

“It’s going to sting,” Jesse Benton, McConnell’s campaign manager, warned to any candidates considering a run. “We’re going to make sure that you don’t come out with your nose clean. We’re going to drive your negatives up and very aggressively and publicly litigate your record before the citizens of Kentucky.”

Although I am sure Ashley Judd means well and is a multi-generational Kentuckian, I can not see her pulling in enough votes to unseat McConnell. Not that McConnell is necessarily popular, at least not anymore, among the rank and file Kentuckians but rather that so many in rural Kentucky do not have a good grasp on politics. There tends to be little political machines, primarily Republican, in the low density areas of the state and far too few people take the time or are open-minded enough to pay attention to what politically takes place, especially when it comes to the Senate and Congress. Instead, many just vote as their parents vote (Republican) even when in doing so they are definitely shooting themselves in the foot. There are many poor people in Kentucky; many who could not survive without some sort of governmental program, whether Medicaid, food stamps, disability, unemployment, housing assistance, etc., and yet they don't seem to understand that the very continuation of these programs is dependent upon voting Democratic in almost all instances. I am not sure where they think the money comes from. Additionally, this is the bible belt - therefore you have the churches indoctrinating people as to how they should think and vote on matters such as pro-life, gay rights, etc. A lot still cast a vote based on some social issue or other instead of on any other, more important aspect of politics. Throw in some inherent racism for good measure (after all, Kentucky should have been in the Obama win column but wasn't for all the reasons heretofore stated) and you have a group of voters who first and foremost need to be educated. Most in rural Kentucky don't really have a clue what McConnell (or any of the other federal level politicians) does, or does not do, for them.

I think McConnell certainly is beatable but it will take the right person - somebody with political savvy. My money would be on Allison Grimes who was successful in her bid for Kentucky Secretary of State last November. She is one smart cookie and has done an outstanding job as Secretary of State. She is a native Kentuckian whose family has been involved in Kentucky politics for several years.

I wish Ashley could knock off both of Kentucky's embarrassing senators, but knocking off one will have to do. Who's going to vote against her lovely, wholesome face? We need more of that face all over the world. She has always been smart and I don't think she picked up a Harvard graduate degree in government just to pass the time between movie projects. With the election of Ashley, Kentucky could move from a politically retrograde state to a 21st century state on the political cutting edge. The very word "Kentucky" will carry political cachet it hasn't had since Henry Clay. You have my support, Ashley (and my love). Like Elizabeth Warren, Ashley would attract the huge outside monies that would be needed to counter the mountain of money McConnell has accumulated from being a big business bootlicker and lackey to the richest.

And she is qualified for this job because why???? To my knowledge she has never served in elected office. I personally do not believe that you should be elected to the Senate without at least first serving in the House or a state level position. Being an actress and activist does not qualify you to determine international and national policy.

I hope and pray she runs against that obnoxious dictator. I would think the people would be so sick of him and his arrogant rude demeanor. He is the one that is hurting this country by being so hateful.

Besides the fact that she's an airhead and a narcissist, Ashley Judd's biggest liability in running for the Senate from Kentucky is that she doesn't live in Kentucky. She lives in Williamson County, Tennessee, south of Nashville--the most Republican county in the state--and has shown absolutely no interest or involvement or involvement in local issues. I do not believe the good people of Kentucky would repeat the mistake the voters of Minnesota made re Al Franken.

And she is qualified for this job because why???? To my knowledge she has never served in elected office. I personally do not believe that you should be elected to the Senate without at least first serving in the House or a state level position. Being an actress and activist does not qualify you to determine international and national policy.

And what about the TeaTwit Rand Paul? He had held no political office before becoming senator, and he's C R A Z Y.

I'm a conservative, but not a fan of McConnell. I don't think Ashley Judd would be any better though. Most celebrities only care about abortion rights, gay rights, and the environment, etc, but what this country needs is more people who care about the fiscal direction of this country.

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